Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road
by Free Skylark
Summary: After the war was over, the bond of friendship was broken. Quatre mourns away from his friends and wishes for their return. Will they answer his call? What is missing from their lives?COMPLETE
1. The parting of the ways

Author's Disclaimer for whole story: Gundam Wing and its characters does not belong to me.  
  
Author's notes: The following story takes place right after the war ended. Some characters might show some OOC-ness, but that is necessary so forgive me. In case you haven't read the novel 'The Wizard of Oz', these notes are to help you understand some aspects of the story:  
  
~Dorothy and her little dog Toto were one day carried by a hurricane to a land called the Land of Oz.  
  
~She begins on a journey to the Emerald City to meet the powerful Wizard of Oz who could help her.  
  
~The way to the city is a yellow brick road, which passes through different lands.  
  
~On the way she meets a scarecrow, a lion and a tin man who all need help from the Wizard of Oz so they travel together.  
  
~After many adventures, Dorothy is returned to her home after she discovers that she could have returned the very first day she came to the land of Oz (something to do with a pair of silver shoes – don't mind it).  
  
If there is anything you don't understand, just ask in your review and I'll do my best to clarify it. Samra is one of Quatre's sisters. She is older than him by three years.  
  
Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road  
  
1.The parting of the ways:  
  
Quatre's POV:  
  
As Sandrock and the other Gundams blew up before my eyes, it finally hit me that all was over. The war that had been raging for more than two years was now over. But somewhere deep in my heart, I was troubled. The emotions that radiated from my comrades standing beside me were making me uneasy.  
  
"Well," Duo's voice cut the silence. "Let's go back to the safehouse. We'll be leaving tomorrow."  
  
The smoke cleared as we left, revealing scorch marks that was all what was left of our faithful Gundams. Don't ask me how we blew them up. The scientists knew what they were doing. Anyway, it's over now, but I know that I won't be happy...  
  
I closed the door of my room and leant against it, hearing the noise of the others through the door. They were packing to leave tomorrow at dawn. I don't get it; it's as if they want to run away from this place – as if we're just casual acquaintances. I know that everyone has to get on with their life, but my empathy is telling me a different story. They want to forget their life, not go on with it.  
  
Willing these thoughts away, I returned to the real world to find that I had absentmindedly packed my things. Souvenirs of a life I was about to leave. I stopped at a photograph taken yesterday. The five of us were there; I had managed to give a copy to each of them after some argument. And I have a feeling they're going to dump it on a shelf and forget about it, just like they want to forget everything that had happened.  
  
Do humans need a raging war to stick together? I don't understand...  
  
"It has been an honour being with you," said Wu Fei, bowing low.  
  
"I'll miss you guys," said Duo, though he was struggling not to jump up and shout for joy.  
  
"We'll keep in contact, won't we?" I tried to keep my tone even.  
  
"Sure," replied Trowa. "But we might be busy, you know."  
  
"It's alright," I smiled at him. I knew it was coming to this – but I wasn't going to give up like that.  
  
"Well," said Heero, getting up, "it's time for me to go. Bye everyone. Take care."  
  
The others soon followed suit, with similar farewells. At last the safehouse was empty except for me. I had to go too, but the safehouse was literally ours till tomorrow morning. Then it would be empty for eternity, some haunted old house that has been forgotten. I still had time to say goodbye. Sighing, I got up and walked slowly through the house that sheltered us many times after we came back from missions, shaken and exhausted. Passing through each room, its owner came up before my eyes. Heero, Duo, Trowa, and Wu Fei... the comrades I will never ever forget, no matter how long I live. I went back to my room and put my violin case inside the bag and slung it over my shoulder. As I stood on the door, I took one last look at the house.  
  
"Goodbye, yellow brick road..." I whispered and turned to go back to my home.  
  
Two weeks later, Winner estates, L4 colony cluster...  
  
A sharp pang hit my chest as I felt Heero's annoyance. My heart became heavier as I felt it again for what seemed like the hundredth time. Every time I sent each of them a message, there was always the same pang of exasperation. I guess my letters makes them remember the past they want to forget; I was just a nuisance. At that moment, I made a decision. If my friends feel uncomfortable with me hanging on to the past, I won't be a burden to them any more. Iria's gentle voice cut the silence,  
  
"Why are you depressed, Little One?' she asked, putting her arms around my shoulders. I smiled as my sister's positive emotions soothed my aching soul.  
  
"I'm tired Iria; I think I want to stay with Rashid and the Maganacs for a while," I finally said.  
  
"Yeah, I think you should go," she agreed. "You'll be happy there, and besides, I'm going to the satellite next week and I don't you to feel lonely here. I think that Samra might be going there too."  
  
"Samra? That's great – I haven't seen her for ages. Yes I'll be going," I told her. 'At least, Rashid and the others wouldn't be annoyed to see me,' I added silently to myself.  
  
To be continued... 


	2. Quatre's last call to the comrades

2.Quatre's last call to the comrades:  
  
Quatre's POV:  
  
"Master Quatre!" exclaimed Rashid in surprise as I stood at the door of their fort. I was back at the Maganac's base in the desert. A place I knew I loved, as I enjoyed of the waves of genuine happiness that radiated from my friends. There wasn't a single negative emotion; I was happy that I came back.  
  
"You look tired, my friend," whispered Rashid into my ear as he embraced me, for once dropping the 'master'.  
  
"Yes, Rashid. I'm glad I came back."  
  
It was here where I could search for a way to heal my broken heart. Sometimes, the scorching sands of the desert can be gentler than the cold heart of a friend...  
  
Standing out in the mild night air of the desert, I let the violin say what I could not. As I was absorbed in the music, I suddenly felt a new presence around me. It was not the feelings of my friends. No, I had set up barriers between them and me after I felt their relief when I stopped sending messages. I had had enough; I couldn't take the pain anymore.  
  
Anyway, my heart lightened as I recognized it.  
  
"Ishtaqtu ilaik ya akhi (I missed you, brother)," a soothing voice said by my side. I let out a content sigh. At least Samra was here. She would understand and perhaps make me feel better.  
  
"Mata wasalti (when did you arrive)?" I asked her, liking the sound of my native language on my tongue.  
  
"Munzu kalil (a little while ago). Why are you so sad, Little One?"  
  
"I now know how Dorothy felt before she left the Land of Oz," I said bitterly. Samra waited for me to go on.  
  
"When I first read the story of the Wizard of Oz, I always used to wonder how Dorothy felt when she left the yellow brick road. When she first came to the Land of Oz, she was scared and wanted to go back home more than anything else. She didn't care about what happened to the strangers around her. But after all those hardships she went through with her new friends, the bond grew deeper than could be imagined. I guess wars bring a lot of pain and misery, but on the other hand, they teach men to stick together, forming a bond stronger than that of blood.  
  
I journeyed on the yellow brick road too. It was a long journey with the rest of the team. Sometimes we laughed, other times we screamed. We passed through happy times and sad ones, but we stayed firm all the way, because we were there for each other. And now, after we have said goodbye to the yellow brick road, I find myself alone, without those who lived the journey with me. I feel like an empty shell; I wish they were back but I don't want to be a burden. They're too far now; it'll never be like the old days."  
  
Samra held my shoulders for a while before she spoke.  
  
"Quatre," she said softly. "Do you remember the song Iria taught you long ago on that stormy night when you wanted Father to come back home?"  
  
"The one about the call?" I asked.  
  
"Yes, that one. Do you remember the tune?" she suddenly seemed so eager.  
  
"Yes, I do."  
  
"Play it now," she ordered.  
  
"What for?" I asked as I placed the violin on my shoulder.  
  
"I'll sing it as you play. Your friends may hear the call if you really play it from your heart."  
  
"Okay," I smiled back at her and closed my eyes, getting ready to begin.  
  
(Note: the song is written below is said in Arabic so I'm writing it in both languages. Each verse is repeated twice, once in Arabic then in English.)  
  
'Nonadi fahal yosa'mon nida?  
  
(We call but is the call ever heard?)  
  
Litarikil khairi wal bina'  
  
(To the way of good and building back)  
  
Wa watanuna ardul 'ata  
  
(And our home is the land of blessings)  
  
Birohi nafdihi min ayi itida'  
  
(With our souls, we protect it from any danger)  
  
Ya ayuha ta'iru kawimi riyah  
  
(O bird, fight against the high winds)  
  
Wa asmi'him zalika nida'  
  
(And let them hear my last call)  
  
Fakalbi yantazuri ijabata nida'  
  
(For my heart yearns for the answer of the call)'  
  
We stood quietly for few minutes, catching back our breaths. I hadn't heard Samra sing for along time. It was nice to hear her strong yet gentle voice again.  
  
"That was beautiful, Master Quatre," said Rashid from behind us. "It's bound to be heard and answered, I'm sure."  
  
"I hope so, Rashid. I hope so," I whispered as the sun began to rise.  
  
To be continued... 


	3. Something is missing

3.Something is missing:  
  
Narrator's POV:  
  
Wu Fei raised his eyebrows in surprise as he checked his inbox. Out of sheer boredom, Wu Fei had decided to look at the long-forgotten mail. They were mainly messages from Quatre at regular intervals, but after a certain date there were no more sent. Scanning them, they were all the same: asking for news, recent happennings, and so on. But the last one was different. It was written in the same style, but one sentence was added at the end: 'I do miss you and the others, but I do not want to become a burden. I wish you a long and successful life. Goodbye, Quatre.'  
  
"So," said Duo to himself, chuckling as he read Quatre's last message, "couldn't keep up the pretense of the good guy, could you, Quat? It's alright, at least my inbox wouldn't be loaded with messages that are not opened anyway. Wonder what you're doing now..."  
  
As for Heero and Trowa, they weren't that interested to see Quatre's last message. Little did they know at that moment that their life was not perfect at all, in fact, one thing was missing. And that one thing made all the difference in the world...  
  
Trowa huffed in exasperation, making his long bangs fly off his face showing his other eye for one brief moment. For some reason, he felt depressed and bored. 'Why do I feel like this?' he asked himself silently. 'There is no war; I don't have to fight. I should be happy, but...' He growled as his train of thoughts reached the same dead end. 'Why didn't I feel so depressed before?' a new question popped into the teenager's head. His heart missed a beat as he realised the answer: Duo would have noticed his depression and would have tried to cheer him up, or Quatre would have talked to him and put him at ease.  
  
Quatre... he stopped at that name as memories flooded back to his mind since the end of the war. He remembered Quatre's request to stay in contact and how he had ignored all his messages. Trowa suddenly felt sad. He jumped up from the bed and attacked the cupboard, looking for something he had long forgotten.  
  
"Where is it?" he hissed at the drawers. "There!" From the midst of his clothes, Trowa took out an old black turtleneck sweater and pants. In the middle of its folds there was a picture Quatre had given him months ago. He traced his finger over each and every one of them as realisation struck him hard. Heero, Duo, Quatre and Wu Fei... he missed them a lot at that moment. 'Where are you now, guys?' he wondered sadly.  
  
This was completely ridiculous, Heero decided as he paced his room back and forth. The perfect soldier, who stood firm in the face of fear, anger, hatred and even death was now defeated by the one thing no one had ever imagined: love. Heero felt lonely. Those friends which he had managed to make after the war had left him because they didn't understand. Doctor J had trained Heero to be a soldier, not a sociable person. The people around him got offended by his trademark 'Hn'.  
  
'Guess it's my fault they don't speak Heero,' the brown-haired boy thought sarcastically to himself, remembering those words from the past. He stopped frozen in his tracks as realisation dawned on him: the comrades he had tried to forget were actually the only people in the world who understood him. Heero knew that they were the reason that kept him going through the war. Yes, it was Duo, Trowa, Quatre and Wu Fei; these were the people he loved and they loved him back.  
  
After turning the attic inside out, Heero found what he was looking for: a green spandex top, black shorts and a pair of worn out sports shoes. He held the fabric to his chest and started as a photograph fell out of the clothes. It was the one Quatre had forced them to take. At that very moment, Heero wished he could go back in time. As he pulled on the clothes, he made a statement,  
  
"I'm the world's perfect idiot," he told the wrecked attic. "But I'm going back."  
  
"WHY?" yelled Wu Fi, driving his fist into the wall and getting rained with plaster. Apparently, Wu Fei was very angry because of the fact that he hadn't been able to meditate for a week.  
  
'Calm down, Wu Fei,' he thought. 'Calm down and think: what did you do before when you couldn't meditate?' A small truthful voice at the back of his head spoke up, 'You listened to Quatre playing his violin, or just went to fight with Maxwell and then your mind cleared.'  
  
Wu Fei narrowed his at what the voice told him. He searched around his neat and fashionable apartment till he found the photograph. As the familiar faces came back to his mind, Wu Fei understood what was missing.  
  
"I have been such an injustice!" he hissed at himself, "But that doesn't mean I'm not going back..."  
  
To be continued... 


	4. When paths cross again

4.When paths cross again:  
  
Narrator's POV:  
  
'Now how exactly am I going to find them?' Duo asked himself silently as he walked in the deserted streets of the city. Knowing that it was hopeles to search for his comrades electronically, Duo left L2 and returned to that city on Earth where they had last seen each other. Just as he went out to the streets, it began to rain. After all, you couldn't control weather like they did on the colonies. Duo pulled the edges of his coat closer to his neck and was about to go into a deserted waiting room when he heard somebody muttering. Duo stopped dead in his tracks as he listened to the angry grumbling,  
  
"That it should rain now, of all times. Injustice!"  
  
The owner of that voice, a Chinese teenager with sleek black hair came round the corner, stopping to stare at the braided boy, who was now smiling widely. No words were passed between them. It wasn't necessary either. After a few moments of silence, they approached each other slowly, as if uncertain of what to do. But then, they pushed doubt aside and... hugged each other.  
  
It was a long tight hug. For the first time since they met each other, Duo and Wu Fei had grasped the value of their friendship.  
  
"Missed you, you braided baka," Wu Fei whispered as they held each other by the shoulders.  
  
"You too, Dragon," said Duo. "Come on, let's find a place away from this 'injustice'."  
  
They sat in the waiting room, sipping some hot coffee.  
  
"So," said Wu Fei, "do you know where the others are?"  
  
"No," replied Duo, gazing into his coffee. "Finding Heero and Trowa is like searching for a needle in a mountain of hay, and Quatre... well, I haven't heard from him for a long time. And its my fault."  
  
"It's my fault too," said Wu Fei firmly. "But we are going to wipe that fault from existence by finding the others. We have to, Duo. We can't forget about each other like that, not after what we lived through."  
  
"Yeah, you're right. The rain has stopped. Let's get out of here. It's really stuffy."  
  
They walked silently side by side without a certain destination in their minds. However, they were turning around corners and passing streets without meaning to till they stopped before a deserted building with a large glaring sign of 'No Entry'.  
  
"No Entry?" Duo read the sign sarcastically. "We can't enter our own safehouse? Well, that's one hell of an injustice, isn't it?"  
  
"It is," said Wu Fei. "Still, I'll meet you inside, Shinigami."  
  
They parted soundlessly to enter the safehouse. The main door they ignored; the locks on the other doors were no big deal to former 02 and 05.  
  
"Look," said Duo, huffing, "they've removed all our security systems. No one could have got in that easily a few months ago."  
  
Wu Fei nodded as he looked around the living room, memories coming to life before his eyes. In one corner, Heero would be sitting, wearing his usual glare and typing at his laptop. He and Duo would have been bickering at each; Trowa would have been staring at nothingness, or maybe talking to Quatre. He suddenly wanted all of them to come back again.  
  
"Wu Fei!" said Duo suddenly in a whisper. "There's someone in here." He pointed at the streak of light coming from a partially closed door on the upper level.  
  
All senses on the alert, both boys crept up the stairs without a noise, guns drawn out. Old habits die hard. Standing before the door, they waited a moment before yanking the door open. The occupier of the room jumped from the chair and drew out a gun at the intruders. Time seemed to stop as one emerald eye glared at the two boys. Recognition snapped between them; the guns were lowered as relief swept in to replace the tension. The uni-banged boy smiled at his comrades. He had been reminiscing and wishing that they would be back, but not that quick.  
  
"We gave you a scare, didn't we, Tro?" said Duo, flopping down on the bed.  
  
"I must admit that I didn't expect anyone to come here," said Trowa smiling back at Duo.  
  
"Whose room was this?" asked Wu Fei, looking around him curiously. "It wasn't mine."  
  
"It was Quatre's," said Duo quietly. "Hundreds of times, when I was on the brink of going mad, I used to come here to find comfort. He would have always made me come back to my room with a smile on my face."  
  
"Yeah," agreed Wu Fei. "I never realised how much you are important to me till we left each other. I felt like..."  
  
"... an empty shell, and that no one in the world gives a damn what happens to you," said Heero softly from the doorway.  
  
The other three gaped at him. It was too good to be true. The perfect soldier, Heero Yuy, with his green shirt and black shorts was standing infront of them. The difference was that he was not wearing his glare; Heero's face was shinig with happiness as he was welcomed by his friends. It was quite a confusing hug: Trowa was too tall whereas Wu Fei was too short, and Duo's braid was always getting in the way.  
  
Somehow, they managed to get distangled and sat panting on the floor, four boys tied by an unbreakable bond, courtesy of the yellow brick road.  
  
To be continued... 


	5. Trying to avoid the past mistakes

5.Trying to avoid the past mistakes:  
  
Narrator's POV:  
  
The four of them stared at the room for five whole silent minutes, as if waiting for their fourth friend to appear suddenly from thin air. But this did not happen; the wound they had inflicted was too deep. Quatre did not dream that that they would have returned to the safehouse, and were even waiting for him.  
  
"Forget it," said Wu Fei finally. "He isn't going to come."  
  
"Why not?" said Heero, surprised. Quatre had never failed them before.  
  
"Didn't it occur to you that he was hurt by everything we did for the past few months? We rejected his messages, didn't answer his letters, and even felt annoyed to receive them – he must have known all of that as an empath," replied Wu Fei, angry at himself.  
  
"And his last message," said Duo, horrified. " 'I do miss you and the others, but I do not want to become a burden. I wish you a long and successful life.' " he quoted, remembering the last line.  
  
Silence reigned for a while; they all looked again hopefully at the door. At that moment, they would have given anything in the world to be with their blonde friend again.  
  
"I don't like this," said Trowa suddenly.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Heero.  
  
"It's happening again, Heero. We four are in one place but Quatre is not there. It was the same when we were at Lunar base, remember?"  
  
"Yeah," said Wu Fei, remembering. "It was when his father died – "  
  
"Oh man!" interrupted a panicked Duo, "I can't imagine how bad he had been feeling..."  
  
"It's not that he's going to build another Zero," said Trowa, getting up. "But we have to find him. We're not going to fail him again."  
  
"We meet here in an hour," said Heero.  
  
With a mutual nod, the pilots went out of the safehouse to answer the call. To search for their friend, who had now withdrawn himslf away from them, trying to reduce the pain a little. Mistakes can always happen, but the question is: can we fix them before it is too late?  
  
The living room of the safehouse seemed to have come back to life in the few hours that ensued. Heero was back in his corner, searching for the last whereabouts of the Winner heir. He scowled at the glowing screen.  
  
//AC 196: Quatre Raberba Winner, heir to the Winner family, left Earth two days after the destruction of the Gundams.//  
  
"I know he left Earth." Heero was on the point of hurling the laptop across the room. "I want to know where he left to."  
  
The laptop, being the machine it was, remained passive, and Heero was beginning to like the idea of throwing the thing when he heard a voice beside him.  
  
"Well," said Duo, "I can tell you that, but we should wait till Trowa and Wu Fei come back."  
  
"Hn," said Heero, "where have you been?"  
  
"I went to the outer shuttle operating station..."  
  
"... and?" asked their Chinese friend as he came in with Trowa.  
  
"It seems that Quatre had been on shuttle X01-593 heading to L4, one day after we left. I know he's – or had been, at least – on L4, but I don't know anything more than that."  
  
"So that's why I couldn't find any trace of him on private shuttles," said Heero. "What about you two?" he added to Trowa and Wu Fei.  
  
"From what I could gather, Quatre did go to the Winner estates on L4," said Trowa. "But he hasn't appeared on any public shows over there. We're not sure if he's still there."  
  
"One of his sisters, Iria Winner, is currently at the house. She might have seen him," added Wu Fei.  
  
"You're right. "It's true we aren'y sure of anything, but the clues point towards L4. We head there tomorrow," said Heero in his 'mission accepted' tone.  
  
Duo sprang up and saluted them saying, "Understood, sir!" and went to his room.  
  
"That baka," muttered Wu Fei as Duo's braid disappeared under the stairs. Trowa let out a sigh.  
  
"What?" asked Wu Fei.  
  
"It's just like the old times, only Quatre is missing. I wish he was here now with us," said Trowa sadly.  
  
"I know, Trowa," said Heero. "But we're going to find him, and then everything would be fine."  
  
"I hope so, Heero. I hope so."  
  
To be continued...  
  
Author's note: The story is not finished yet. Sorry but I hate sad endings and the story will lighten up soon. Thanks for all those who reviewed. I promise to upload soon. ^_^ 


	6. Comrade, where are you?

6.Comrade, where are you?:  
  
Narrator's POV:  
  
"Stop fretting, Duo!" said an exasperated Trowa.  
  
"We've been stuck in this blasted waiting room for ages!" whined Duo. "Where is that wretched shuttle anyway?"  
  
"Even when it comes," said Wu Fei evenly, "it'll still take the whole night for us to reach L4. Have some patience, Maxwell, and shut up."  
  
"Don't you – " began Duo hotly, but he was cut off as the announcer's feminine voice filled the station.  
  
//Passengers leaving for L4 colony cluster on shuttle X42-381 are requested to go to gate 8 immediately. Take off is after ten minutes from now.//  
  
"That's our ride," said Heero, standing up from where he had been leaning on the wall and went out of the room. The others slung their bags over their shoulders and followed suit.  
  
"We're coming, Q-buddy," muttered Duo as they boarded the shuttle. "We're coming, just wait a little bit longer..."  
  
"Wake that braided baka up," whispered Wu Fei. "We're almost there."  
  
After wolfing down his meal, Duo was now snoring happily in between Trowa and Heero. The latter entertained his time by sending traditional death glares to anyone who dared to pass by them, while the former was busy watching his bangs fly away from his face with every breath he took. They all had slept the night before, but they were awake at dawn with the exception of Duo. Thank goodness shuttles helped passengers to cope with jet lags; the pilots wanted to be wide awake when they reached L4.  
  
It was a blessing that Duo had fallen asleep so soon; he would have made the flight a very annoying experience for his comrades, unless Heero killed him or Wu Fei took care of the injustice. They were all bored and impatient, and it was obvious that Wu Fei had been staring at the same page of his book for the last two and a half hours. "Duo," said Heero, prodding the sleeping form beside him. "Duo, wake up, we're there."  
  
"No, I didn't paint your shorts red, Hee-chan," muttered Duo in his sleep. "I thought they looked cuter when they're pink..."  
  
Heero's glare became, if possible, harsher as he proceeded to shake the braided teenager.  
  
"Whassamatter?" he finally murmured, blinking his eyes open.  
  
"We're there," replied Trowa. "Get ready to move."  
  
"This is it," announced Wu Fei as they looked at the huge, and I mean huge, mansion.  
  
"This is the Winner mansion?" asked Trowa.  
  
"It's pretty big," commented Duo, "but I don't give a damn what it is as long as it gives us what we want."  
  
"I got us an appointment with Iria Winner," continued Wu Fei. "We should be meeting in her in ten minutes."  
  
"Yes, gentlemen," said the woman as she entered the room, "how can I help you?"  
  
The pilots observed the Winner eldest sister, Iria. She was a pleasant woman with short brown hair and chestnut eyes, and though she did not have Quatre's features, her genuine cordiality and want to help others strongly reminded them of her brother. They knew that they could trust her.  
  
"Actually," began Heero, "we were wondering if you could tell us where Quatre is."  
  
"You want the whereabouts of my brother? Excuse me, but may I ask why?" inquired Iria.  
  
"We are his... friends," said Duo, feeling a pang of guilt. "We hadn't seen him for a long time and..."  
  
Iria looked closely at the teenagers before her. She was no empath like her brother but some instinct within her heart told her that they were deeply connected with Quatre. Finally, she nodded.  
  
"Very well," she said. "I take your word and won't ask any questions about who you are. Quatre did come here after the war ended for a while. He then went to stay with Rashid and the Maganacs. To say the truth, I don't know which base they are at now. Quatre was upset when he left and I didn't want to disturb him – "  
  
"You mean you don't know where he is?" interrupted an appalled Duo.  
  
"Not exactly, but I know who can take you to him. Samra, my sister, is currently with Quatre. You can go on board one of our shuttles to sub- colony 421. You'll land in a town named Ramda' (means hot sands in Arabic). Go to the guest house and ask for Samra. She'll take you to Quatre. The shuttle leaves in fifteen minutes. You'll reach the town in about one hour. I wish you a good journey, and please give my greetings to my siblings."  
  
"Thank you," was all that Wu Fei could say. And it was true that his comrades were a little surprised at this; Wu Fei, showing gratitude to a weakling onna?! (Am I being a little hard on Wu Fei? I don't hate him; I do like his 'justice' and 'onna' rants. Pretty amusing. Anyway, back to the story...)  
  
Duo let out a whistle as they looked at the town of Ramda'. Saying it was a bee-hive would not have done it justice. Sands surrounded it from all sides and the weather was quite hot. People bustled here and there, talking in English, Arabic and other languages they couldn't recognize.  
  
"There's the guest house," said Trowa, snapping them out of their stupor.  
  
"Welcome, visitors," said the keeper of the house. "Can I help you?"  
  
"Yes, we want to meet Samra Winner," said Heero.  
  
"Actually, she is around here," said the keeper, nodding his head. "Would you wait for a few moments?" He disappeared into a corridor. A few moments later, his cheerful voice could be heard through the thin walls.  
  
"Anisa (Miss) Samra," he said, "there are some gentlemen outside who want to see you."  
  
"I told you before, Osama," a gentle voice not unlike Quatre's answered him, "don't call me miss. And who are they, previous visitors coming to complain? I trust you with the guest house..."  
  
"No, Anisa," he replied. "I have never seen them before."  
  
"Alright, we shouldn't keep them waiting."  
  
A young girl in her late teenagers soon came in. The pilots had to stifle a gasp as they saw the too familiar pale skin and azure eyes. Her long hair was a darker shade of gold, braided into two riverlets that rivaled Duo's cherished locks.  
  
She, on the other side, stopped in her tracks when she saw the vistors. Though she had never met them before, she had seen them countless times in Quatre's photograph.  
  
"Well, I never thought you'll answer the call," she murmured.  
  
To be continued...  
  
Author's notes: This one was a bit long, I guess, but I couldn't help it. Please review if you have time. Chapter seven will come soon, I promise. Hope you enjoyed this! ^_^ 


	7. Visitors aboard the ship of the desert I

7.Visitors aboard the ship of the desert (I):  
  
Narrator's POV:  
  
"It's alright, Osama," said Samra. "I'll see to this. Please take care of the other visitors."  
  
"Yes, Anisa," replied Osama. "Good day, everyone."  
  
"Please have a seat," she offered, gesturing at the sand-coloured armchairs.  
  
"Ah, well... ahem," began Duo, but Trowa cut him off.  
  
"I presume you're Samra Winner," he said.  
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
"We were sent by your sister Iria," continued Trowa.  
  
"Iria sent you? Is she well?" asked Samra.  
  
"Yes," replied Duo. "Actually... we want to know where Quatre is."  
  
Samra caught her breath. It was as she had expected, but were they really sincere? She didn't want Quatre to be hurt again.  
  
"You're his comrades, aren't you?" she finally whispered.  
  
"How do you know that?" asked Heero in his monotone.  
  
"My brother had a photograph of you when he came here after the war was over. I don't know exactly what happened, but I do know that you have rejected his friendship after everything was over. Forgive me, but I must speak plainly. I bear you no ill-will and neither does Quatre. He just wanted to be with you again, you, who have faced happy and bitter times together.  
  
We all make wrong decisions, and it's never too late to put them right. Now I will ask you one question: did you come back for the sake of my brother's friendship, or do you want something from him and then you'll disappear again? If it's the second reason, I'll do my best to give you what you want, but please stay away from Quatre. If it's the first, I'm more than happy to take you to him. Please understand this."  
  
The smiled at her earnestness, even Heero felt comfortable with her. It must have been something running in the Winner family.  
  
"What you said is quite true," said Wu Fei, breaking the silence. "But let us assure you that we want his friendship back as much as he does. We have learned our lesson, for Quatre had been missed too."  
  
"I am Heero Yuy," said Heero, extending his hand. "These are Duo Maxwell, Trowa Barton and Wu Fei Chang."  
  
Samra met his hand halfway. "I am honoured to meet you. Samra Raberba Winner, sister number 29. Quatre is staying at a Maganac's base not far from here. Sorry for the inconvenience, but we are going to travel across the desert to the base. Don't worry, it won't be too hot, for winter is almost here."  
  
"It's okay with us," Trowa assured her.  
  
"We start tomorrow morning. It'll take us a day and a half for us reach the base. Meanwhile, you can stay here at the guest house. Osama can be a bit on the go, but he is a good host and has never failed me till now."  
  
"Samra..." began Duo, but she cut him off.  
  
"Do not worry, Duo. I assure you Quatre will be very glad to see you. Trust me."  
  
"I do," he replied, smiling.  
  
Next morning...  
  
"Yes, Osama, I'll be going with our visitors to the base. Take care of the house while I'm gone. You can contact me there if I'm needed."  
  
"I understand, Anisa. Give my greetings to the Maganacs and Master Quatre," replied Osama.  
  
"Thank you, and don't call me miss," she said with mocking annoyance, coming into the room where the pilots were having breakfast.  
  
"Are you ready?" she asked them.  
  
"Sure," piped up Duo, jumping from his chair.  
  
"Then come with me."  
  
They went out of the house to a nearby smaller stall. As they entered, they were greeted by the sight of two large sand-coloured camels. Samra slung the bags over their backs and taking the reins, coaxed them outside.  
  
"What are those?" asked Duo in astonishment.  
  
She smiled at his stunned expression. "These two she-camels, Zahra and Yamama, will be our travel companions for the next 36 hours. Down, girls," she added to the camels. The animals complied, going on their knees.  
  
"Okay, get on," she stated.  
  
"What?" Wu Fei exclaimed before he could stop himself.  
  
"Each two of you will get on a camel's back. You'll be comfortable," said Samra.  
  
"That's not the point," said Wu Fei. "This means you're not going to ride?"  
  
"What's wrong with that?" she asked.  
  
"Never!" cried Wu Fei. "Injustice! I ride, and a weakling onna walk – impossible!" Duo winced; he could sense the beginning of a full-forced Wu Fei rant. However, he had reckoned without Samra.  
  
"Listen to me, Mr. Chang," she said pleasantly. "You are strangers in this land, and thus are my guests for three days as in our Arabian custom. These camels are my current home, and you will share them with me. Someone has to lead the camels, as you can't control them while you are riding them. Do not worry about me; I am accustomed to this and the distance is nothing at all. Now, we're wasting time; please, ride."  
  
To their amazement, Wu Fei nodded and approached Zahra. After some argument, Heero and Wu Fei got on one camel while Trowa and Duo got on the other. Samra made sure that all their bags were securely fastened and tied Yamama's rein to a hook on the back of Zahara's saddle. She then adjusted the cover partly protecting her head. (Think of the one Quatre wore while walking in the desert to get his Sandrock – I think it was episode 46).  
  
"Hold on while they get up," she advised. "They'll raise their hind legs first. Ready? Hiyya (Come on)."  
  
The camels got up in a rather wobbly manner, for those who are not familiar with camels. Taking the rein firmly in her hand, Samra guided the brutes towards the wide expanse of sand. They thus began their journey across the desert, towards their lost comrade.  
  
To be continued...  
  
Author's note: This chapter turned out to be too long so I divided it into two parts. Please review if you have time. Thank you for being patient with me. 


	8. Visitors aboard the ship of the desert I...

8.Visitors aboard the ship of the desert (II):  
  
Narrator's POV:  
  
"Are you sure you're alright?" called Wu Fei at Samra.  
  
"I told you not to worry. We're quite lucky: it's a lovely day to go out in the desert. The sun is partly covered by the clouds and it's twenty degrees cooler than normal," said Samra cheerfully.  
  
"You call this lovely weather?" asked Duo in surprise.  
  
"Sure," she said. "It's only 35 degrees. Above 50 degrees is the normal in summer."  
  
"Oh, I see," said Duo in a small voice, causing Wu Fei to smirk.  
  
The journey thus went on. Surprisingly, Duo was not complaining and was actually enjoying the ride and the desert scenes.  
  
"Hey you guys, look!" the braided teenager suddenly yelled, pointing to their east.  
  
"Stop jerking, Duo!" Trowa was on the verge of being thrown off the camel.  
  
"What is it, you baka?" snapped Wu Fei from the front.  
  
"Look to your right, Wu-man, just look!" Duo squealed, elbowing Trowa, who was behind him, in his excitement.  
  
As they looked, they were greeted by the sight of a herd of deer. The tan- coloured animals were quite beautiful, with short white fluffy tails, like that of a rabbit.  
  
"What are those?" asked Heero.  
  
Samra stopped to look at the herd. "Desert gazelles," she remarked. "Commonly known as Reem. It means we're going near an oasis; we'll be taking a break soon."  
  
The oasis soon came into view, a groove of palm trees surrounding a sparkling pond. Samra led the camels to the oasis and stopped.  
  
"Hold on while they go down," she said, pulling the rein downwards. Zahra went on her knees, followed by Yamama. The pilots dismounted, stretching their legs after the long period of inactivity.  
  
"Ah, down on ground at last!" said Duo. Samra tied the camels to a rock and, carrying a bag, beckoned the pilots to the cool shades. She spread a sheet on the sandy floor for them to sit. Trowa, Heero and Wu Fei sat down, while the energetic Duo bounced around the camels.  
  
"Duo," called Samra, "don't tease the camels! You'll regret it!"  
  
"Don't worry," answered Duo. "I'm trying to make friends with them!" Samra shrugged and went to the water to wash her face.  
  
"So," began Wu Fei quietly. "What do you think?"  
  
"I trust her," said Trowa. Heero nodded in agreement.  
  
"Though I have no evidence or data, I know she's not a threat. She really cares about Quatre, and she trusted us," added Heero.  
  
Samra plunged her hands in the refreshing water, cool despite the heat of the desert. After washing her face and braiding her hair, she turned to take care of her guests.  
  
"Hey, Samra." Duo had finally left the camels alone. "I'm completely drained out, got something to eat?"  
  
"A moment," she replied, turning to their luggage. She retrieved some bowls and filled them with milk from Zahra. Stirring the warm milk with some dates, she handed each of the pilots a bowl. Duo stared at the milk blankly.  
  
"We're going to eat this? I need serious energy, not a snack!" he whined at her.  
  
"This is what you wanted," she cooly replied. "Just try it."  
  
Raising his eyebrows, Duo drained the bowl in a moment and narrowed his eyes in thought as he munched the sweet dates. His eyes widened in surprise as energy flooded him once more. The others around him were experiencing the same.  
  
"How did you – " he began.  
  
"You can live on dates and milk for your whole life in perfect health," she told him.  
  
"What material is this?" asked Wu Fei, fingering the fabric they were sitting on.  
  
"Date palm leaves. Known as 'khus' in these areas. We depend a lot on date palms in our life here."  
  
"So as camels," added Trowa, looking at the animals. "I've never realised how unique they are till now."  
  
"Yeah," piped up Duo. "Tro-man prefers lions; our clown boy is pretty onesided in these matters." Everyone laughed, while Trowa gave Duo a friendly punch.  
  
"It's true. People who don't live in contact with them underestimate camels a lot. Camels are, for your information, much stronger than lions," said Samra.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes. When a camel gets into a rage, there's no stopping it. Luckily they're very quiet animals, not easily angered. But if you do keep teasing them, you'll pay for it. Camels may forgive, but never forget. Besides, they're suitable for travel in the desert. Fast, agile and patient, they can stay without food or water for a week. No wonder it's called the ship of the desert. And a mighty fine ship it is," she added, getting up to put the bags on the saddle once more.  
  
"We'll continue a bit on this road till nightfall. There's an oasis we'll camp at. Get ready to start moving again," Samra told the pilots.  
  
Soon they were on the road again, going as before. After a few hours, the sun began to set as they reached a smaller oasis. They dismounted and set up their camp.  
  
It wasn't much really. Each of them had a sleeping bag: it was useless and time-consuming to have a tent. They had another similar meal when darkness finally claimed its hold on the desert, the inky sky suddenly dotted with thousands of stars. Samra proceeded to make a fire, much to the surprise of others.  
  
"It'll get cold at night," she simply explained. "And I prefer if we don't have any encounters with the wolves."  
  
Duo was soon snoring loudly as the rest of the pilots settled into their sleeping bags. Samra, however, sat staring at the fire, poking it with a stick at intervals.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Trowa, coming to sit beside her.  
  
"Nothing, I'm just imagining how happy he will be to see you guys." There was no questioning who 'he' was.  
  
"What did he tell you?" asked the uni-banged ex-pilot.  
  
"He was so depressed, Trowa. He missed you and felt so empty without his comrades. He didn't feel angry at all, just sad."  
  
"That's just like Quatre. We were idiots when we left each other like that," said Trowa bitterly.  
  
"But you came back, Trowa. This is what matters."  
  
"I just hope we're not late..." he said as he went to sleep.  
  
*  
  
"MAXWELL!" howled Wu Fei. "YOU BAKA, WAKE UP!"  
  
They had woken up to find that Duo had had a tossing fit, which was the reason they were showered with sand. Duo had sulked when he finally came to the waking world, saying that it wasn't fair of them to have a 'sand fight' while he was asleep. That, for some reason, made Wu Fei launch into a full- forced rant about the devastating injustice, till Samra pulled him out of it.  
  
They were thus deemed fit to travel again after the minority was dealt with.  
  
They were very near the base by now. The hills that surrounded it became visible, doubling the anticipation in the heart of the travellers. Suddenly, a shriek was heard,  
  
"Tseer!"  
  
"What was that?" asked Heero sharply.  
  
"A falcon's cry," replied Samra, pointing at a bird in the horizon.  
  
"Maybe someone is hunting around here. You hunt with falcons, don't you?" said Wu Fei.  
  
"No," said Samra, going pale under her head cover, "hunting hasn't started yet."  
  
"Then what?" asked Duo.  
  
"Something has happened," she replied tersely, urging the camels to move faster towards the Maganac's stronghold.  
  
To be continued...  
  
Author's note: Hmm...still a long chapter though I divided it. Huge thanks to all those who reviewed. Please tell me what you think of this one. By the way, all the information written here about deserts and Arabian life is perfectly true, I assure you. As are the Arabic words used (it's my first language). Want to know what happenned? You'll find out in chapter 8. I promise to update as soon as I can. ^__^ 


	9. One last time

9.One last time:  
  
Narrator's POV:  
  
As soon as they came to the outskirts of the base, Samra let out a sharp whistle to announce their arrival. The answer came quickly, as a man they recognised as a Maganac came out to meet them. He led them to a stable and helped the pilots dismount, then followed Samra into the heart of the base itself.  
  
"What happened?" asked Duo again as they ran down the corridors.  
  
"I don't know," replied Samra. "But I know it's not good –Rashid!" she called as a heavily built man came into their view: the leader of the Maganacs.  
  
"Anisa – " he began, but she cut him off.  
  
"Tell me what happened?" she insisted. Rashid held back a surprised cry as he saw the teenagers standing beside her. He had met some of them during the wars, and he knew their connection with his young master. But what surprised him was that they came back to Quatre now, of all times. He recalled what had happened a few hours ago...  
  
~Flashback (the night before) ~  
  
Rashid managed to catch the blonde in his arms before he hit the ground. Blood was flowing freely from his right arm; they had been quick in dealing with the matter, yet his strength was fading fast.  
  
"Rashid," the blonde managed to gasp.  
  
"Hush, Quatre," whispered Rashid. There was no occasion nor time for the usual 'master'. "You'll be alright."  
  
"No," the other replied, tears welling up in his azure eyes. "I'll never get to see them. I am denied the last time. If you ever meet them again, tell them I'm sorry. Thank you, Rashid, for everything..." he murmured before surrendering into the darkness, tears streaming from his eyes.  
  
Though he had never asked before, only given, Rashid was sad that his friend's only wish was rejected. The blonde had only wanted to see them just one last time...  
  
But life was not always fair, nor did it give people much time. And it seemed that it was too late to answer the call...  
  
~Flashback end ~  
  
"Master Quatre was attacked, Anisa," he finally replied. Samra gasped, curling her hands into fists.  
  
"What was it?" she whispered, trying to stay calm.  
  
"A sand viper. He managed to remove most of the venom at the spot with the help of Fahad."  
  
Samra let out a small gasp of relief. Duo tapped her shoulder impatiently.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" he demanded in a sharp whisper.  
  
"Quatre was attacked by a sand viper – " she began.  
  
"A what?" interjected Trowa.  
  
"It's the Arabian horned viper," she explained. (And that is true, according to my knowledge of Arabian reptiles.)  
  
"How dangerous is it?" questioned Heero in a voice that wavered slightly.  
  
"Its bite is not necessary fatal, but must be well attended to. It seems that Fahad, one of our men, was with Quatre when the snake attacked. He must have helped Quatre on the spot."  
  
"Where is he now?" said Wu Fei.  
  
"He is resting in his room," replied Rashid in a stony voice. Samra looked at him sharply and shook her head.  
  
"Lakad samahahum (he has forgiven them)," she told him in Arabic.  
  
"Kanat ro'yatuhum akhira ma talabhu ya Samra (seeing them was the last thing he asked for, Samra). Arjo an la yakonou muta'khirin (I hope they're not late)," he added grimly as he opened a door for them to enter.  
  
Holding their breaths, the pilots followed Samra into the chamber, hoping that they were not too late.  
  
It was a cool, dimly lit room, but their attention was attracted towards the bed in the middle of the room and its occupant. A man had been kneeling beside the blonde when they entered. He got up and greeted them quitely.  
  
"Fahad," whispered Samra, "how is he?"  
  
"Most of the venom has been removed, and we have given him the antidote, Anisa. It's up to Master Quatre now. But you know how it is for the body to fight the venom. Tonight will be a long one for Master Quatre," he said sorrowfully, shaking his head, before excusing himself and going out with Rashid.  
  
They carefully approached the still figure on the bed. Guilt shot through the pilots as they saw their friend lying on the bed, his ashen brow dotted with sweat as he fought for his life. Every now and then he would take a ragged breath as moans fought to break from his lips.  
  
"What – what is happening?" asked Duo in a horrified undertone.  
  
"His body is fighting against the venom, Duo," answered Samra sadly. "Come on, brother; you went through more than this." She held his hand as tears formed in her eyes. Samra began to whisper in her native tongue,  
  
"Lakad 'aadou ya Quatre (they're back, Quatre). Hiyya ya akhi (come on, brother). Arjook (please)." Heero put a comforting hand on her shoulder. On the other side of the bed, Trowa was gently brushing the wet bangs from his friend's face. (Aw... cute, isn't it? They're going to pay for leaving Quatre. ^_^)  
  
Quatre was battling against the darkness that threatened to engulf him. Exhausted and unable to even open his eyes, he called on his empathy to try and figure out his surroundings. There were many sources of sadness and worry around him: the Maganacs and perhaps his sister. So he was still at the desert base. So far so good. But suddenly he could sense something more than the sadness and anticipation. He could feel... guilt. Yes, guilt radiated powerfully from four sources around him. But why would the Maganacs feel guilty? Being bit by a snake was not a miracle in the desert. In his pain, Quatre had unconsciously dropped the barriers he had formed against his comrades.  
  
He fought against the mist that froze his mind, and clung to those four sources. His heart nearly stopped at what he felt: a haze of fake indifference concealing love for friends, a dark yet cheerful aura, a nameless sensation of deep-rooted friendship, and an honour bound sense of justice. He didn't dare believe it, but his empathy had never failed him before. Could it be what he thought it was?  
  
Deciding that there was only one way to find out, he blinked his eyes open with great difficulty to see... the very incarnation of his heartfelt hope.  
  
To be continued... 


	10. For the comrades have come back to you

10.For the comrades have come back to you... :  
  
Narrator's POV:  
  
He opened his eyes... to see the very incarnation of his heartfelt yearning.  
  
Quatre couldn't stop gazing at them; it was so simple: they were back, but did he dare believe it? He turned to see his sister sitting beside him, the only thing he could be sure of. She smiled and assured him of the stunning fact,  
  
"Lakad samiou nida'ak (they heard you call). La tastaslim lil alum (don't give up to the pain)," she murmured, helping him to sit up, before standing back to watch the reunion of five teenagers who once trod the yellow brick road.  
  
Though nearly tangible silence claimed the air in the perpetual moments that followed, heaps of words were exchanged between them in an unspoken language. Words were simply useless as they approached their friend hesitantly, not knowing what to do.  
  
It was Duo who first threw himself into Quatre's open arms. He buried himself away from all the sorrow as Quatre held him tighter. The braided teenager began to cry his heart out, his blonde friend gently soothing him. It was enough. The barrier had been broken, nay, blown up. The others soon joined into a hug that only those ex-warriors can pull off.  
  
Tears of relief and happiness were shed by all; worry and sadness were banished. Samra was truly happy as she saw her brother's heart finally heal, and though her face was stained with tears, she strove to bite down giggles at the sight of the four fussing over her brother.  
  
Overcome by exhaustion, Quatre soon sank into sleep again, but his face was illuminated by a content expression that crossed his countenance for the first time in months.  
  
Samra walked into Rashid's room sighing, "He'll be fine, Rashid. I'm glad we made it in time."  
  
"I'm sorry about what I said earlier, Anisa."  
  
"It's nothing. What's past is past, we need to think about the future," she replied as the light of the desert sun pierced the darkness, breathing life into the land. The night was finally over, and it was time to live a most beautiful day.  
  
*  
  
Three days later...  
  
After being kicked out of their vigil to have some rest, four grumpy pilots were sitting at the breakfast table, waiting for the doctor to finish his check-up on Quatre. It must be owned that they had lost the battle in watching over Quatre. After all, it's one thing to fight against Romefeller, but it's another thing to argue with forty Maganacs and a very moody Samra. Duo's temper was soon greatly improved by the food; he had learned to like eating whatever the Maganacs gave them and the rest had no problem eating whatever was before them.  
  
However, all was forgotten as Quatre came into the room. The others jumped up, ready to return their 'tiresome patient' back to his bed.  
  
"Whoa! I'm fine now, really. It's only a viper's bite!" he said, coming to sit with them.  
  
"Only a viper's bite?" questioned Wu Fei, eyebrows raised.  
  
"Yes. It could have been worse, but we don't have cobras here, not on this sub-colony anyway. How do you like the base?" he added.  
  
"Er..." began Duo. "We haven't gone anywhere else beyond our rooms. It's too hot anyway, and I don't want to get away from the air conditioner range."  
  
""No," replied Quatre. "It isn't hot anymore in winter – "  
  
Quatre was cut by a shrill cry coming from the corridor. "QUATRE!" A blur of brown rushed by and landed in Quatre's lap.  
  
"Rama!" he greeted the little girl. "When did you arrive?"  
  
"A few hours ago, but Rashid wouldn't tell me where you were and Samra was busy with my mother and I had to go all over the base to look for you and then – who are these people, Quatre?" she asked, realising the presence of four amused teenagers in the midst of her long speech.  
  
"Hi Rama," said Duo cheerfully. "I'm Duo, this is Heero, Trowa and..." he thought of what nickname to use for the chinese boy. "Wu Fei," interrupted the dragon, to avoid any disastrous remarks drom the braided baka. "We're friends of Quatre."  
  
"This is Rama Fawaz," said Quatre, gesturing at the seven-year-old. "She's a distant relative of ours, from sub-colony 463. Her family comes to visit us here every winter."  
  
"Yes!" she agreed, jumping with excitement, making her brown braid go up and down. "And we're having a party, you know, a-a concert and they're going to-to," Rama seemed annoyed at not being able to speak at a rate of 100 words per minute so she switched to a more convenient language. "Wa sanugani ana wa sadiqati (my friends and I will sing). Wa lakin al musagil la ya'mal wa nurdeeka an ta'zifa lana (but the recorded music is not working and we want you to play the piano for us)."  
  
"Hadir (sure). Izhabi' ana ila Samra (go to Samra now)," Quatre replied, lifting her to the ground. He quickly related the situation to his friends. Wu Fei let out a smirk.  
  
"What?" asked Trowa. Wu Fei was not known to grin without a reason.  
  
"I never thought I'd see somebody that can speak faster than that braided baka," he said, beginning to laugh. "But I like her – she's innocent and happy away from wars. I like everyone here, your sisters, the Maganacs... it's a great place to live."  
  
"Yeah," agreed Heero. "It's nice to think that we helped to build this."  
  
"It is," said Quatre. "We can stay here all winter if you want, but I got to go and see if that piano is working or Rama will make me pay!"  
  
"It doesn't matter," remarked Trowa as they followed Quatre out of the room. "If we're together, then it doesn't matter."  
  
*  
  
Quatre let out a low whistle of surprise as he looked at the musical notes that he was going to play.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Trowa, as Heero pulled a nosy Duo by his braid to save him from falling into the piano.  
  
"Nothing... it's a really nice song. It's just that it reminds me of some things. I'll write down the translation for you so you can follow when they sing," replied Quatre.  
  
They were in a large hall where the concert was to be held. Everyone anticipated seeing the young children sing for the first time after so many long years of wars. The curtains finally went up and the performers appeared on the stage. But when they began to sing, all seemed to disappear except the beautiful melody.  
  
(Another song! As before, the translation is written below each verse. By the way, this is from the Arabic-dubbed version of Digimon part 3. Not that I like the story, but the sound track was great!)  
  
'Douri ya ahlama holwa douri  
  
(Go round, O merry dreams, go round)  
  
Fayaltaqil atfal dawman  
  
(So the children meet again)  
  
Wa yushriqal hulmu dawman  
  
(And the dream would always dawn)  
  
Mil'aki douri  
  
(O, do go round)  
  
Fi lahzatil huzni abki  
  
(In moments of sorrow I cry)  
  
Ahatagu sahbi liahki  
  
(I need my friend to confide)  
  
Kad sa'atil omour  
  
(Things have gone bad)  
  
Wa ardu la tadoum  
  
(And time never tries)  
  
Law anahum yasma'on  
  
(If only they'd ginve a hand)  
  
Akhta'at, law yafhamoun  
  
(I wronged, if they'd understand)  
  
Awadul itizar, fal ardul la tadoum  
  
(I want to apologize, for time never tries)  
  
La budda men rihen tubadidul gioum  
  
(There must winds that'll scatter the clouds away)  
  
Wa shamsu fi ishraqiha, satagsilu homoum  
  
(And the sun will rise, to wash the tears away)  
  
La alaik, hati yadaik  
  
(Never mind, let's repair the bind)  
  
Fasahbu kad aadou ilaik  
  
(For the comrades have come back to you)  
  
Douri, ya ahlama holwa douri  
  
(Go round, O merry dreams, go round)  
  
Fayaltaqil atfal dawman  
  
(So the children meet again)  
  
Wa yushriqal hulmu dawman  
  
(And the dream would always dawn)  
  
Mil'aki douri  
  
(O, do go round)'  
  
The merry dreams did go round that night, the spirits of happiness revived as the bond of the yellow brick road was back, stronger than ever.  
  
To be continued...  
  
Author's notes: It's not over yet! One or two chapters are left, I haven't decided. What do you think? How did you like the song? I know it seems ridiculous but reallyy it's great when you hear it. As it is, you can't. HUGE thanks to all those who reviewed, and please give me suggestions! 


	11. Same as old, yet different

11.Same as old, yet different:  
  
Heero and Trowa were walking in the grounds one sunny morning, enjoying the light breeze. Quatre was right: the weather was much better during the winter. They had been enjoying themselves a lot in the good hospitality of the Maganacs. Samra was obliged to go back to Ramda every now and then, but she was assured that her brother was well and happy.  
  
And the pilots were happy. Even 'the three silent ones' (Trowa, Heero and Wu Fei), as Duo called them, were thrilled to discover the secrets of what they thought to be a barren, dead land.  
  
"Good morning," Quatre greeted Trowa and Heero.  
  
"Morning," they replied.  
  
"Have you seen Duo?" he asked them.  
  
"That baka is taking braiding lessons from Rama's older sister," replied Wu Fei, coming to join them. "Idiot," he added as an afterthought.  
  
"From Maha?" asked Quatre incredulously. "Where?"  
  
"In that tent," the Chinese replied.  
  
Quatre, followed by the other three, approached the said tent when Duo burst out of it, chased by a woman's laughter.  
  
The braided teenager ran into Quatre, eager to escape the laughter. In spite of his kindness, Quatre had to supress a snicker at the sight of Duo's disbelieving face. The other three beside him were having no trouble expressing their amusement. He wondered what had happened between him and Maha.  
  
"Duo, what's wrong?" asked Quatre.  
  
"What's wrong? You're asking me what's wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong. What's wrong is that that Maha inside can braid ten branches in 15.02 seconds. 15 SECONDS! And when I ask her how, she just laughs. I'd take a minute to do it, and it would look clumsy. STOP LAUGHING!" Duo was about to explode. And no wonder: Shinigami was having a bad braid day.  
  
"Duo," said Quatre evenly. "Nothing is strange in Maha's speed. She is, as all girls who live here, to such work. You shouldn't have challenged her. Anyway," he turned to the other three, who were trying to compose themselves, "I want to show you something."  
  
"What is it?" asked Heero, finally controlling himself.  
  
"Rashid wants me to give you a gift, on behalf of all of us," said Quatre in a that's-the-fact-and-there's-no-refusing-it tone.  
  
"A gift? Is it something to eat?" inquired Duo hopefully.  
  
"You'll see," the blonde replied with a smile.  
  
They followed him away from the main base. It was a short distance so they preferred walking. Finally they came to a large oasis. There was a spring, and the plain was grassy and had some trees. But Quatre had wanted to show them the dwellers of the oasis, who soon came into view.  
  
"Look at that!" yelled Duo in vain: they were already staring at the scene. A drove of Arabian horses spread in the plain before them. There were a few dozen stallions, mares and colts, spirits of the land of sands.  
  
Quatre led them towards the herd. Two animals left the group and walked to the blonde, neighing happily.  
  
"This," he pointed at the sand-coloured mare, "is Rimal. She belongs to Samra. And this," pointing to the darker stallion, "is Sakhr. I ride him. Rimal and Sakhr are twins, a real rarity in horses. We've had them for along time."  
  
"We can choose any horse?" asked Trowa in wonder.  
  
"Sure, Trowa. Go ahead."  
  
In the course of ten minutes, Heero was patting a black stallion, Wu Fei was trying to mount a white mare, Trowa was silently speaking to his grey companion, and Duo was being chased by a rusty-brown steed. Selection was done, and now came the enigma of naming them. The four teenager stood deep in thought, wondering what to name them. It was a little strange for them after two years of thinking of nothing but defeating the enemy.  
  
"Hey Quatre," said Duo suddenly. "Rimal and Sakhr, what do they mean? It's Arabic, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes. 'Rimal' means Sand, while 'Sakhr' means Rock," replied Quatre.  
  
"I see. Sand and Rock. These are Arabian horses, aren't they?"  
  
"Yes, they are."  
  
"I'll give my horse an Arabian name," announced Duo. "What does scythe mean in Arabic?"  
  
"Minjal."  
  
Duo looked at the horse. "Minjal... what do you think of the name? Reminds me of good old Deathscythe, but you shouldn't be called Death; you're life itself," he added sadly.  
  
"No, Duo," said Quatre. "The scythe has nothing to do with death. It reaps crops for people to eat. It sustains life. You are the great Destroyer, but you now destroy sadness and worry with your laughter and jokes. We're still the same, but different. Minjal is a great name. Trust me."  
  
"You're right," said Duo, lightening up. "Maybe I'll braid his mane, what do you think, Minjal?" And he began to chase the horse, howling with laughter.  
  
His friends soon joined him with Heero riding Salam (Peace), Trowa on Cathy, Wu Fei on Nataku and Quatre on Sakhr. Their happiness and joy soared to the sky and went round, faster than a peregrine falcon. Things were same as old, but different...  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
Author's notes: Only the epilogue left! Hope you liked the chapter Please review if you can. 


	12. Alpha and Omega

12.Alpha and Omega:  
  
(Quatre's POV)  
  
I stood in the desert night, the winter breeze toying with my hair. My friends were so happy with the horses. You should have seen Duo when Maha helped him braid Mainjal's mane and tail. I am so glad everything turned out fine.  
  
Anyway, I couldn't sleep for some reason, which is why I'm standing here, like the time I stood here months ago. It is the same place, yet how different things have become. Thank Allah it is for the better.  
  
I sat down on the sands, still warm from the sun, and looked up to the twinkling sky. The night is so beautiful here. It is silent, but not in a hostile way. Okay, now I'm just dawdling. I guess I know why I'm sitting here. There was one more thing I have to settle.  
  
Even though the war was over months ago, I know it is only now that I have come to the end of the Yellow Brick Road. My journey on it was a long one, more than two years long. I guess it was hard, with Romefeller, Oz, the Alliance and White Fang... yeah, it was hard.  
  
But in spite of the pain, there was a silver lining shining beyond the clouds. I owe my friends that I'm still alive to think about this now.  
  
It was painful, and I didn't have a choice. But now that I come to think of it, I can't help feeling grateful. Grateful? Yeah, if it weren't for this journey, I would never had the chance to know the brotherhood of things other than blood. Maybe there are other ways to learn it, but I know I'll never forget it, since I've learnt the hard way.  
  
So now, I come to the end of my journey on you, Yellow Brick Road. I can't be sure if it's the end or the beginning, yet I know it's a turning point. Though I now bid you farewell, the comrades you have given me will forever be in my heart.  
  
It's been a long night, but meteors shone for brief moments many times. And now, as the sun rises, announcing the beginning and the end, all passes through my mind, giving me strength to go on till the end of the road.  
  
O Yellow Brick Road, farewell and thank you for everything...  
  
"Quatre?" called a sleepy Trowa behind me. "Why are you up so early?"  
  
"It's nothing, Trowa," I answered him. "Let's go and make breakfast. It's going to be a beautiful day."  
  
We turned back to our rooms, as the sun shown over the horizon, making the desert glow with a yellow light, like a Yellow Brick Road saying farewell back.  
  
The end.  
  
Author's note: My first GW is finally done! I must thank all those who reviewed and gave me the courage to post my story. This is first, but it won't be the last. I'm currently working on a trilogy: Pacifist Chronicles. Please read it; I promise it won't be a waste of time. Once again, Shukran (thank you in Arabic!) ^_^ 


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